The present invention relates to a system for stripping soiled trays and bulk items returned from meal services, specifically trays and bulk items from airline trolleys, and for cleaning items to be reused.
Systems of the type defined above are in use particularly with airline caterers.
For operators working in the stripping area of the flow line of the system, it is important to have washing baskets of the right size for taking up items to be cleaned in close reach at the right time. Basically two washing basket types shall be used for ideal positioning of items having to go through a washing machine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system of the kind defined hereinabove which permits stripping of soiled trays and bulk items and enables cleaning (washing) of the items in a most economic manner.
This object is achieved in accordance with the present invention by a system of the type as defined above and comprising a stripping station on the dirty side, in which the items to be cleaned are put into washing baskets, a tunnel washer for the washing baskets filled with items and, on the clean side, a station with a table for storing and unpacking the cleaned items from the washing baskets, further comprising a washing basket return equipment for returning the clean emptied washing baskets from the storing and unpacking station to said stripping station, wherein the equipment comprises two motor-driven return conveyors, one arranged above and the other arranged underneath said table at the storing and unpacking stations and leading back to the top of the stripping station for manual removal by the operators working in the stripping station.
The system consists mainly of a stripping station forming the so-called dirty side and asking for washing baskets for the further processing of the items to be cleaned, a tunnel washer, a station for storing and unpacking the cleaned items leaving the tunnel washer and finally a washing basket return equipment or installation for returning the emptied clean washing baskets to the stripping station. A main part of the system is the specific and inventive construction of the basket return equipment.